Michael Card's song (yes, I listen to 80's-90's Christian music. What of it if I'm kinda old-fashioned?) "Forgiving Eyes" brought my attention back to this short Biblical story from John 8 of the woman caught in adultery. This is my favorite story in any of the gospels, because in no other gospel is Jesus' love for the unlovable and the guilty better illustrated.
This isn't a long post. I just want to focus in on one little part of the story, but in order to comprehend that, we need the full story. In a nutshell, the Pharisees, in an attempt to get Jesus to trip Himself up publically, brought before Him a woman caught in the act of adultery.
His response is what I want to hone in on today. It says in v. 6 that when they explain the case to Him, He says nothing, but rather kneels in the dirt to scratch in the dirt. But I want you to take a moment to think about that action.
In kneeling down to the ground, He placed Himself on the same level as the woman, who had probably been roughly pushed to the ground or thrown down in front of Him. He, the King of the universe, knelt down to show mercy to an adulteress.
What incredible mercy! What reckless grace! As the Pharisees, the crowd, and everyone else around stood in judgment of the sinner, Jesus, the only one present with the true right to judge, forewent his right and knelt instead beside her. He lowered Himself to her level in order to show her mercy.
But when the Pharisees continue to press Him for a response, His answer is powerful (v. 7). Who are we, as fellow sinners, to judge and condemn, other sinners? Are we any better than they? The only one with the right to pronounce judgment over her was Jesus Himself, and He chose to forego His right.
This is the love we as the church should have toward the lost of this world. Not a judgmental, downward glance attitude, but a mutual kneeling before the cross, on equal footing before Jesus. This same grace He showed the woman is the same grace He showed to us to save us and is the same grace He shows us each and every day through His mercies. We, the sinner, sit with Christ because of Christ's own mercy. What beautiful grace!
This isn't a long post. I just want to focus in on one little part of the story, but in order to comprehend that, we need the full story. In a nutshell, the Pharisees, in an attempt to get Jesus to trip Himself up publically, brought before Him a woman caught in the act of adultery.
His response is what I want to hone in on today. It says in v. 6 that when they explain the case to Him, He says nothing, but rather kneels in the dirt to scratch in the dirt. But I want you to take a moment to think about that action.
In kneeling down to the ground, He placed Himself on the same level as the woman, who had probably been roughly pushed to the ground or thrown down in front of Him. He, the King of the universe, knelt down to show mercy to an adulteress.
What incredible mercy! What reckless grace! As the Pharisees, the crowd, and everyone else around stood in judgment of the sinner, Jesus, the only one present with the true right to judge, forewent his right and knelt instead beside her. He lowered Himself to her level in order to show her mercy.
But when the Pharisees continue to press Him for a response, His answer is powerful (v. 7). Who are we, as fellow sinners, to judge and condemn, other sinners? Are we any better than they? The only one with the right to pronounce judgment over her was Jesus Himself, and He chose to forego His right.
This is the love we as the church should have toward the lost of this world. Not a judgmental, downward glance attitude, but a mutual kneeling before the cross, on equal footing before Jesus. This same grace He showed the woman is the same grace He showed to us to save us and is the same grace He shows us each and every day through His mercies. We, the sinner, sit with Christ because of Christ's own mercy. What beautiful grace!
Wow, I hadn't thought of that!
ReplyDelete(Now I can comment here and see when you reply!)
Oh, why, hello! Now at least I can tell it's you!
DeleteHello! Yep, it's me. :) (what I was doing while waiting for my slightly-annoying geometry website to decide if it would show images for my math questions.)
Delete:) Well, I'm glad you set up a profile! Whenever I see anonymous comment, I guessed it was you the last few weeks, but I couldn't be sure, so I didn't act on it. Didn't want to creep out some visitor!
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